Sales within Fabdec’s brewery division in the first six months of 2017 were double that of the same period for 2016. Managing director, Chris Powell, says the increase in microbreweries and micropubs is particularly welcome, given the continuing decline of traditional pubs.

He said: “The appetite for craft beers and ales has definitely grown over the past year or so, and along with that the number of independent and innovative breweries and micropubs. Given that around 20 pubs a week are closing nationwide, this is a real ray of light for the brewery and pub industry.

“The companies that we work with share a passion for quality and we are proud that they trust us to deliver first-rate products, often designed specifically for their needs. It is great to see independent brewing undergoing something of a renaissance, with breweries willing to make a significant investment in their operations to create distinctive beers.”

Based in Ellesmere, Shropshire for more than 65 years, Fabdec is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of heating, cooling, storage and processing vessels. For the brewery division, this includes mash tuns, wort ‘copper’ kettles, fermentation vessels, heat exchangers and conditioning tanks. These tanks can be made to order from five to 35 barrels, the equivalent of more than 10,000 pints.

Gerald Williams, director of Malvern-based Friday Beer Company, said: “As our brewery has grown we have scaled up the size of our tanks to meet the new demand. Fabdec has been with us on this journey and have helped and advised us all along the way.

“Their technical support and knowledge has been invaluable and the quality and value for money of their tanks is unmatched.”

Following major investment in machinery and engineering last year – and with a highly skilled workforce – Fabdec is currently exploring opportunities to expand its steel fabrication work into sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and soft drinks.

Chris Powell added: “For Fabdec, 2017 continues to be a strong year for growth and we are pleased that our brand is now recognised in the US and other foreign markets. Britain should be proud of its manufacturing heritage, and exporting remains a key target for us across our brewery, dairy and water heating divisions.”